Share Circle - 1 more than

This is a twist on the traditional ‘Follow Me’ style cards… you know the ones: each child has a card with a number and a maths question; one child asks the question and everyone looks at their cards to see who has the appropriate answer, then the chain continues around the classroom.

This is all useful stuff for a couple of reasons:

1. everyone is involved [good],
2. everyone is (hopefully) thinking about the mathematics involved [also good].

However, what is missing from the usual ‘Follow Me’ activity is any form of conversation, and (you know me by now) a missed conversation is a missed opportunity to learn. So, here’s a recipe for a different resource:

• reduce the number of people involved;
• add in a generous splash of ‘circle time’;
• include a dash of jigsaw style thinking;
• try it out, and reflect on what happens.

Here’s the resulting resource, a Maths Share Circle. This one is designed to help children with early calculation and focuses on“1 more than”, counting up to 10.

Basically, it is a small set of 'Follow Me' cards twisted into a circle so that each card becomes a sector. Each sector has a mathematical question (in black) and an answer (blue).

Once this maths resource is printed onto card (or laminated) and cut out along the strong balck lines, a group of children can:

Play the standard ‘Follow Me’ game.
-  with the addition that children can see each others 'cards', support each other and talk about the maths

Play the ‘Follow Me’ game in reverse.
-  being told the 'answer' means you have to pay even closer attention to the 'question' - this focuses attention beautifully

Play a ‘Pairs’ version.
-  pelmanism, with a payoff

Play a ‘Patience’ version.
-  it even makes an educational jigsaw puzzle!

There are two downloads*, teachers notes(with full details of the activities and games) and a Maths Share Circle template (pdf), this includes a small circle, a large one, and a further blank one for your own customization.

* Login/register first to access the downloadable files.

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